Today Vectren learned that when people in southwestern Indiana speak up, the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) will listen. Vectren was denied its rate increase in entirety. Last August I made a formal request on behalf of ratepayers to hold a town hall style meeting in Evansville to listen to complaints. That meeting was held. I was joined by Councilman John Friend in the effort. He speaks passionately about businesses trying to stay afloat in this economy and the added burden of yet another electric rate increase.

This would not have been possible without the support, encouragement and initiative of the City County Observer to step out and print the facts. I want to thank Councilman Friend, the City County Observer and the IURC for their leadership and commitment to listen to the people. A special thanks to the Citizens Action Coalition (WWW.citact.org) for their counsel to me and other Hoosiers striving for just, reasonable and affordable utitilies rates.

Gail Riecken

State Representative, D 77

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The Facts:

Vectren filed for a rate increase for the installment of $32 million in dense pack technology to improve efficiency to two units at their A.B. Brown Generating Station. The Cause Number at the Commission was 44067. It was filed on September 13, 2011 and ruled on today. Vectren stated the estimated bill impact for a residential customer would have been $1.08 per month. Vectren was seeking this unjustified rate increase knowing they have the highest electricity rates in the state. On average, the average Indiana ratepayer pays $100 per 1000kwh of electricity used. In July of 2011, the average Vectren electric customer paid $155 per 1000kwh used. Vectren’s rates are up 62.8% or $59.85 for that amount of electricity over the last five years and up 109% or $80.91 over the last decade!

Adding insult to injury, the Commission denied this very request in Vectren’s last rate case. Instead, the IURC ordered Vectren to file for cost recovery AFTER the projects were completed and “report on the actual improvements achieved by the projects.” Yet Vectren come back to the Commission and ask again for approval.

Vectren does not know the actual cost of the project and refers to the $32 million in their testimony as the estimated cost. They stated in their testimony: “It must be emphasized that the actual impacts will depend upon the actual construction costs… as the Project proceeds.”

Vectren wanted a guarantee they can recover all costs associated with the project and a rate of return (profit).

Vectren suggested that ratepayers will “see little to no rate impact” and promised that ratepayers will actually save money as a result of this project. The fact is the only guarantee that ratepayers get is that bills will increase to pay for the project. Promised savings are contingent upon the cost of coal, so if the price of coal goes up, which is likely, bills go up, regardless of this project.

Today the Indiana Utilities Regulatory Commission denied Evansville based Vectren Corporation’s (NYSE: VTC) request to add a new fee to ratepayer’s electric bills.

Last fall, Vectren sought regulatory approval to add a $1.08 monthly charge to residential bills. Vectren said it needed the money to cover $32 million in upgrades to the turbine blades but assured the public that the upgrade would lead to lower fuel costs that would offset the impact of the fee to ratepayers.

The request for the rate increase led to a series of articles by the City County Observer, a petition by Evansville City Councilman John Friend against the fee, and an IURC field hearing in Evansville where a capacity crowd of citizens testified about the hardships of paying the highest electricity rates in Indiana. Occupy Evansville also made the Vectren Building a major focus of their brief time of riverfront gatherings.

This denial is also the culmination of many years of work by Indiana State Representative Gail Riecken to balance the best interests of the people of her district with the needs of the utility industry.

Official Response

“As you know, the entire region is experiencing historic drought conditions. To prevent the lakes at Oak Hill Cemetery from drying up completely and causing the fish to die, cemetery staff has resorted to filling the lakes mechanically by running water into the lakes for about 6 hours each day. Everyone would prefer the lakes to refill naturally with rain, but since that is not happening it must be stressed that refilling the lakes mechanically is only being done as a last resort. Hopefully it will rain soon.”

Original Article

Why has this fireplug been filling an already full retention pond in the Oak Hill Cemetery for over 24 hours? The people of the City of Evansville have been asked to conserve water to accommodate the drought conditions for over a week now and the City continues to waste water by tapping into a fireplug to fill a retention pond in the Oak Hill Cemetery beyond it’s capacity. Is this another example of hypocritical government, is it waste, or is it just another case of the lazy right hand not knowing what the lazy left hand is doing?

News Release

Type of Crime: Narcotics Offenses
Date of Crime: 071012
Location of Crime: 742 E. Blackford and 820 E Blackford

SUMMARY

Investigators from the Narcotics Joint Task Force served search warrants at two Evansville homes last night. The search warrants led to the seizure of narcotics, money, and several arrests.

Investigators arrested KENETHA WAGNER at 742 E. Blackford. She was charged with Dealing Cocaine and Possession of Marijuana. Investigators found 17 grams of rock cocaine and 6 grams of marijuana in her home.

A second search warrant was served at 820 E. Blackford. JANORIS TAPP was arrested after investigators found hallucinogenic mushrooms in her home. They also found over $9,000 in cash, marijuana and drug paraphernalia. TAPP was charged with Possession of a Schedule I Narcotic, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Paraphernalia, and Maintaining a Common Nuisance.

Investigators also arrested Shannon Thornton, Sharona Morris, and Michael J. Thomas for Visiting a Common Nuisance. James Morris was arrested for felony warrants out of Kentucky.

EVANSVILLE, IN – Please join Mayor Lloyd Winnecke, Parks Department Director Denise Johnson and local health advocate Sarah Hooper today at 1:30 p.m. at Hartke Pool for the announcement of the Fitness in the Park schedule for the remainder of 2012. Fitness in the Park is part of Mayor Winnecke’s Energize Evansville initiative. The goal is to get more people out exercising in our city parks and to encourage healthy lifestyles.

The next Fitness in the Park will be Saturday, July 14, from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. at Hartke Pool. Admission to Hartke Pool during the 2-hour fitness event will be free! Other fitness events are planned for Garvin Park, Howell Park, Kids Kingdom playground and the Pigeon Creek Greenway, Lloyd Pool and Swonder Ice Rink.

Evansville, IN – Mesker Park Zoo and Botanic Garden is pleased to announce the opening of the new Animal Commissary. Zoo visitors are now able to watch through large windows as the diets for over 700 animals are prepared in this newly constructed facility. Animal diets are prepared daily to insure that only the freshest of food is being served to the animals. Denny Vogt, the Assistant Animal Curator at the Zoo, says “The new Commissary is a big improvement to the Zoo. It allows us to have a centralized location to prepare and distribute all of the animal diets.” The Commissary is separated into many different areas to help keep the food stored safely. The building includes a grain room, refrigerator and freezer, and a live animal room which holds our feeder rodents and insects that are feed to several collection animals. According to Erik Beck, Director of Operations, “The new commissary is a great balance between a modern, clean, efficient work space for the zookeepers and an opportunity for zoo guests to get a glimpse behind the scenes and see what it takes to feed a zoo.”

The Animal Commissary was also built to exemplify the Zoo’s many green practices. All lights will automatically turn off when there is no activity and multiple skylights will reduce the need for lighting. The zookeepers try very hard not to throw anything away. All food that the Zoo does not use directly for animal diets is either recycled or composted.

Zoo Members will receive a special opportunity to preview the new Animal Commissary during Member Appreciation Evening on July 11. This facility will be open for tours during the event from 5:00 – 7:30 p.m.

Evansville’s Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden is open 365 days a year from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. (entry gate closes at 4 p.m.). Adult admission is $8.50 and children ages 3-12 are $7.50. Children 2 and under are free. In recognition of their support, Vanderburgh County residents receive $1 discount. Group discounts and yearly memberships are also available. Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Please visit www.meskerparkzoo.com for more information.

By: Gary Burke

In his remarks at the White House yesterday President Obama Called for extending Bush tax breaks for another year — at least for certain taxpayers, those earning less than $250,000 per year. Apart from the continued exacerbation of class warfare in pitting “the middle class” against “the wealthy,” a more deadly nuance lurked in his words.

Twice in his brief speech he pointed out that we need to enact this cutoff because “we cannot afford to spend on tax breaks for the wealthy.” Those words should frighten and arouse anyone who has an income. They are not ill-chosen words; they are a look into the very political and economic heart of the current president and his regime. Allowing income earners to keep a portion of their money is considered by them to be spending by the government. In other words, all of your money is theirs to spend. They spend it on their special programs, their cronies, their allies and their adoring lapdogs. They spend some of it on the producers in order to keep the well flowing.

Government has no money to spend except what it confiscates from those whose labor and intelligence produce wealth. A tax reduction is not government spending except in the convoluted sense of socialist elitists who believe they own everything and they alone know what and in what quantity is best for the masses.

Government is necessary and valuable. Its primary functions are to restrain evil, maintain internal peace and order, and keep its citizens secure. It needs to encourage individual liberty and personal responsibility. The details of how these are accomplished are matters of legitimate debate. One thing not subject debate is what government owns. It owns nothing.